Analytical evaluation of lower critical hydrostatic pressure for imperfect cylindrical shells of moderate length

Abstract

The paper applies generalized power series to determine effectively the lower critical hydrostatic pressure for imperfect cylindrical shells. The basic equations were assumed in the form derived by W.A. Nash. Two variants as regards the number of circumferential half-wavelengths are discussed: m constant during buckling, thus corresponding to upper critical pressure, and m furnishing minimal value of lower critical pressure. It is found that the dependence of lower critical pressure on an imperfection parameter V is linear, i.e. smaller than in the case of the upper critical pressure which decreases with V 2 3 .